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Decades of glasses now all a blur

By Mike Foley

Posted:
10/16/2012 05:11:50 PM MDT

I see; but not too well.

It hasn't always been this way though, for I recall many decades ago, when Mrs. Zenino, my fifth-grade teacher, put me in the front row near her desk, not in order to make it easier for me to read what she'd written on the blackboard. No, my close proximity to her station, was in order that she might have a better view of me.

When I reached the eighth grade, I noticed on the rare occasions when I was tempted to read what a teacher had written on the board for my edification, that the words were rather blurred. At first I thought that my teachers may have been a sloppy writers, but when I glanced at my friends, they were blurred as well.

A trip was arranged for me to visit our neighborhood oculist, and soon I was equipped with four eyes, and was frequently reminded of the fact.

By the time I was 18, I'd graduated to black horned rimmed specs, that when donned, gave the impression that I may have been a scholar. I wasn't.

Some years later, I purchased contact lenses, and endured the daily struggle with them. I savored the joy felt when the merest mote of dust was trapped between the contact, and my eyeball. This usually occurred when I was least able to rid myself of the irritant, for instance, while driving. Another difficulty in my contact with contact lenses, is that I have one eye that is farsighted; the other; nearsighted. This made for fun times when I'd get the lenses mixed up.

When I turned 50, I found once more that I couldn't see couldn't do anything that required me to get within 2 feet of the subject. So, another trip to the optometrist, and I was fitted with bifocals. Ahhh, now I could see from here to there, and back.

Sometime in the past 10 years or so, lineless, continuous vision lenses were introduced, and some of my friends have had themselves so equipped, and to a man, (or woman) they seem to rave about them. Since my old prescription needed to be updated, I opted to join the continuous vision haves, instead of the have nots.

Well, today I picked up my new state of the art eyewear. The young lady who fitted the new pair to my noggin, explained: It may take you a while to get accustomed to the new lenses (that said as I stumbled out of the store).

Hmm, in order to see the computer screen with the new specs, I nearly have to stand on my head. And as far as my distance vision is concerned; my old glasses are better. By the way, I'm writing this column wearing my old bifocals.

Yep, I'm thinking that continuous vision means that the wearer is continually attempting to find a spot on the lenses that works.

I think I'll just continue to have that infernal line on my lenses.

You see.

Mike Foley is a Loveland retiree. Read more from him on his blog at reporter-herald.com. To find it, click on blogs in the index at the bottom of the home page.

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